First Thanks First

Good morning, Loved Ones,

Here's praying that your heart is turning to spring as the breezes warm and the light returns.

Romans 1:8 (The Message)
8 - I thank God through Jesus for every one of you. That's first. People everywhere keep telling me about your lives of faith, and every time I hear them, I thank him.

It's interesting that Paul's first order of business in Romans is to thank God for his sisters and brothers in the church in Rome -- brothers and sisters he had never even met. But what he hears is obviously good. How many times do we hear of people who live their faith daily, servant leaders working daily for common good, and yet we never send a note of thanks or encouragement?

Here are the folks I'm 'thanking' of today.

Thank you, God, for my friend and fellow pastor, George, who daily shares his gift of poetry and poetic sermons via Facebook. His poems lift me and his sermons inspire me.

Thank you, God, for Martha who is one of those whom Sandra Bullock thanked in her Oscar acceptance speech -- "moms that take care of the babies and the children no matter where they come from."

Thank you, God, for Carmen who puts up with her pastors and works diligently to interpret the sometimes difficult and confusing sermons those pastors write every week. For Carmen's smile and her willingness to burst into song as she interprets Sunday after Sunday -- Thank you, Lord!

Thank you, God, for Angela, Mark, Javier, Alfonso, Judy, Diosselyn, Lucas and Tino who gave their Tuesday night to hear the stories of nine immigrant brothers who were abused and abandoned by a restaurant employer. May God help us find justice.

Thank you, God, for my brother, Terry, who is relentless in his pursuit of genuine community, empowering individuals and developing resources to bring justice and life to those who are losing hope.

Thank you, God, for all the people who 'pave the way' for us everyday. Those we know and can acknowledge and the many, the thousands, we don't know who do the work daily to make our lives better.

Who are you thankful for today?

Gimme Cinco!

Rick Behrens
http://gimmecinco.blogspot.com/